Winter Oilseed Rape Varieties: Irish Recommended List for 2009 Sowing

Winter Oilseed Rape Varieties Irish Recommended List for 2014 Sowing The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine An Roinn Talmhaíochta, Bia agus Mara

CROPS EVALUATION and CERTIFICATION DIVISION CONTENTS Page Winter Oilseed Rape Growing in Ireland 1 Introduction 2 Variety Testing Procedure 2 Types of Recommendation 2 Laboratory Analysis 2

Recommended List for 2014 Sowing: Table 1. Varieties suitable for growing in Ireland 3 Characteristics of the varieties 4

IMPORTANT NOTICE The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has taken all due care in evaluating the performance of the listed varieties for yield, quality, disease resistance and the important agronomic characters over a wide range of soils and environmental conditions, for a minimum period of 3 years. The Department cannot, however, accept responsibility for any loss or inconvenience arising from any future variation in absolute or relative varietal performance.

Winter Oilseed Rape Growing in Ireland Winter oilseed rape (WOSR) varieties grown commercially in Ireland are classified as Brassica napus (Swede Rape) and all have low levels of both erucic acid and glucosinolates. These varieties are known as ‘double zero varieties’ and their seed is suitable for processing for both food and feed use. It is important that the crop is sown at the best time, which is usually between mid august and early September, to get good establishment before winter. Sowing dates should be decided on the basis of the local climate and the experience gained in the area over the years.

1 Introduction This leaflet lists the winter oilseed rape varieties that are considered most suitable for growing under Irish conditions. The varieties included on the recommended list have completed three years in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's trials. These trials were located in Cork, Kilkenny, Kildare and Meath and were grown in accordance with good farming practice. The yield, oil and glucosinolate content results presented are based on the trials harvested in the years 2011 to 2013. The yearly trial results over the three years are combined in a single evaluation. Variety Testing Procedure New varieties are submitted annually to the Department from Irish Agents acting on behalf of International plant breeders or directly from these breeders. These varieties enter combined National List/ Recommended List trials. The trials comprised of 21 varieties, grown at three Department centres and at least one external site per year. In the trials, the seeding rate as ‘seeds per square metre’ is 85 for conventional varieties and 55 for hybrid varieties. The varieties are assessed as to their suitability under Irish conditions for seed yield, oil content and various other traits. After completing 3 years in the combined National List/Recommended List trials, new varieties showing superior performance are considered for provisional recommendation. Those varieties may be given a positive Value for Cultivation and Use (V.C.U.) status, thus allowing them, at the request of the breeder to be listed in the national and EU common catalogues. If these Provisionally Recommended varieties perform sufficiently well in subsequent trials, they may be upgraded to Full Recommendation after 1, 2 or occasionally 3 years further evaluation. Provisional recommendation is allowable for a maximum of three years. Growers should give preference to the varieties listed unless there is compelling evidence that other varieties are more suited to their specific conditions. Throughout the trial programme, every effort is made to select improved varieties.

Types of Recommendation: Varieties appearing on the list for the first time are Provisionally Recommended (PR), and have completed three years in combined National list/ Recommended list (NL/RL) trials. The eventual status of these varieties is determined by the level of performance in ongoing NL/RL trials; fully Recommended (R) classification may be deemed to be merited after a further one, two or exceptionally three years, or alternatively they may be removed from the list at any stage.

Laboratory Analysis: The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine take seed samples from each trial plot during harvesting to determine the dry matter content. The seed yield of controls and the relative yield of a variety at harvest are based on an adjusted 9% moisture content. A dried seed sample is also tested on behalf of the Department by NIAB, UK for oil and glucosinolate contents. Results are expressed @ 9% moisture content.

2 Table 1: Recommended List of Winter Oilseed Rape Varieties for 2014 Sowing. Actual seed yield data is shown for the mean of the control varieties, and the relative seed yield data (as % of controls) is shown for all varieties. The data is based on results of treated trials harvested in the period 2011 to 2013.

Hybrid/ Treated Oil Gluco- Full Lodging Stem Earliness Earliness of Year of Conv Variety Relative Content sinolate Plant Resistance Stiffness of Maturity/ first Seed Yield % @ 9% Content Height Of the (1 – 9). flowering Ripening Score Recommend- @9% moisture (μmol/g (m) maturing (9 = (1 – 9). (1 – 9). ation moisture seed) crop. (1 - 9) upright). (9 = (9 = earliest). (9 = best). earliest) Controls* --- 4.6(t/ha) 45.4% ------(actual) Compass (R) Hybrid 101 102 10.7 1.52 8 8 (6) (5) 2011

Flash (R) Hybrid 104 98 14.9 1.54 7 7 (5) (4) 2009

Sensation (PR-1) Hybrid 101 98 17.1 1.53 8 8 (6) (5) 2014

The treated varieties of Epure, Flash and Osprey were used as controls for 2011, the treated varieties of Compass, Flash and Osprey were used as controls in 2012 while the treated values of Flash and Compass were used as controls in 2013. (R): Recommended for general use. (PR): Provisionally Recommended (The number after the PR, indicates the number of years provisionally recommended). *The average ‘Seed Yield @ 9% moisture’ of the control varieties over the period 2011 to 2013 was 4.6t/ha. The Glucosinolate Content, Oil Content and other agronomic data are based on the average values established over the period from 2011 to 2013. Figures shown in brackets ( ) are based on limited data and should be treated with caution.

3 Characteristics of the Winter Oilseed Rape Varieties in Table 1.

Compass (R): Good seed yielding variety. A tall variety with good lodging (Hybrid variety) resistance and very stiff stems. Medium-early to flower with a medium maturity rating. Very high oil content. Irl Agent: Seed Technology Ltd. Bred by DSV, Germany.

Flash (R): It has the highest seed yield on the recommended list. A tall variety (Hybrid variety) with stiff stems and moderate resistance to lodging. Medium-late to flower with a medium-late maturity rating. Good oil content variety. Irl Agent: Seed Technology Ltd. Bred by DSV, Germany. Sensation (PR-1): Good seed yielding variety that has made the Recommended List (Hybrid variety) for the first time in 2014. It has good lodging resistance and stem stiffness. Medium-early to flower with a medium maturity rating, Irl Agent: Goldcrop Ltd. Bred by RAGT2n, France.

Information on the Variety Traits Shown in Table 1.

Treated Seed Yield is in relation to fungicide treated crops.

4 The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine An Roinn Talmhaíochta, Bia agus Mara

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Seed Certification Seed Testing

The use of certified seed ensures a high level of varietal purity and germination.

Requests for this booklet should be sent to: Plant Health, Crop Production & Safety Division, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Administrative Building, Backweston Campus, Stacumny Lane, Celbridge, Co Kildare.

Alternatively, Recommended Lists can be obtained from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food website; www.agriculture.gov.ie